PRESIDENT se NUUSBRIEF/NEWSLETTER

I have often mentioned that SAGES cannot be static and ignore changes taking place in our society in general. There are things in SAGES that need to change – we do not exist in a vacuum where nothing has changed for the past 40 years. The whole world of golfing has undergone radical changes over the years in terms of how the game is played, the equipment used, the technology available, etc. Golf courses and clubs have had to adapt to changes in society in general in order to survive – club and course selection by players is now often driven by the value for money factor rather than snob value.

However, change is a process which does not occur overnight. Organisations are made up of individuals and unlike a business it is the majority of these individuals within SAGES that will determine the extent and timeframes of change. It is important to remember that the sustainability of SAGES is dependent on the timeous recognition of opportunities and threats within the senior golfer’s environment and the effective development of actions to exploit the opportunities and to neutralise the threats. I am enthusiastic about addressing these challenges with you in 2018/2019.

The immediate challenge facing us is the general implementation of the new handicap system on 3 September 2018. We need to understand the process and system in order for us to assess the impact on our own processes in respect of our tournaments and competitions. There will be more detailed communication before implementation by the HNA and others, but briefly the process entails a number of changes. The process is underpinned by the implementation of the USGA Course Rating System comprising 2 components, namely the Course rating (CR) and the Slope rating (SR). These ratings have already been determined by a dedicated task team. On the 3rd September 2018 the HNA will calculate a nationally standardised handicap for every registered player and this will be called the Handicap Index (HI). From this date a calculation using the HI, the SR of the set of tees a players selects to play off and the CR will be used to generate an individual handicap for the day – this is the Course Handicap (CH).

The purpose of the entire intervention is to “level the playing field” for all golfers. This will also entail the scrapping of the current description of tees, viz. Men, Championship, Club, Seniors, Women, etc.

In future, tees will be referred to by colour e.g. Yellow, White, Blue and Red and any golfer can select to play from any one of these tees – the process mentioned above will generate a CH in accordance with the player’s tee selection.

During the recent Nationals and AGM, the issue of women competing in the same divisions as men at the tournament was raised and a suggestion was made that we scrap the Eurika Gowans division and trophy and that the women compete in the remaining divisions. It was decided at the AGM that the branches be allowed an opportunity to gauge the opinions of their female members and report back. The revised handicap system may provide the solution to the issue in that all golfers compete on equal footing relevant to their tee choice. However, it is still essential that our female members voice their opinions and it would be appreciated if the branches could facilitate this process and provide feedback so that we could have a result by the end of August 2018.

A second issue that needs to be debated is the future of the various divisions for the individual competition at the Nationals and also at branch/ inter branch level, bearing the new system in mind. However, there are other considerations, such as, cumbersome scoring processes and winner determination, handicap changes during the competition, title of National Champion limited to a small group of players relative to the total membership, etc. Again the new handicap system may provide the solutions, but it is important that our members have an opportunity to consider the implications and provide input on the matter. A questionnaire will be provided later, but it would facilitate realistic responses if the subject was raised at branch level in the meantime. Our target for formulation of firm recommendations is also August 2018 and your cooperation in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

At the recent AGM, a report by the ad hoc committee regarding the format of the National tournament was distributed and the general consensus was that the format remain unchanged, but that the cost of attendance be considered with a view to a significant reduction. A number of suggestions have been submitted, such as, scrapping the flag raising event or moving it to the Monday morning, combining the Tuesday prize giving with the Friday night event or proceeding with the prize giving directly after play with no event catering, etc. There are undoubtedly more ideas among our members that have merit and can be considered. However, the process so far has been somewhat haphazard and in order to create a coherent framework for discussion, it would be appreciated if the branches could invite and consolidate member’s inputs. The end of August 2018 is the target date for completion – please submit your branch’s recommendation by then.

Members should be encouraged to think creatively. While the organisation is steeped in its traditions, perhaps the time has come to review some of these and members should be bold enough to explore any option no matter how radical it may appear.

    Liewe SAGES Vriende

Die groot taak om n besonderse organisasie vir die volgende paar jaar te lei en die skoene vol te staan van diegene wat voorheen hierdie posisie gevul het, het my nou te beurt geval. Ek is egter aangemoedig deur die entoesiastiese ondersteuning van so veel lede en die Takkomitees. Namens SAGES bedank ek elke lid wat bereid is om op hierdie komitees te dien – julle het ʼn ernorme taak, maar te oordeel aan die notules en baie puik nuusbriewe, het ek geen twyfel nie dat die belange van SAGES ernstig op die hart gedra sal word.

Ek het al dikwels genoem dat SAGES nie staties kan wees nie, en veranderings wat in ons gemeenskap in die algemeen plaasvind, ignoreer nie – ons bestaan nie in ʼn lugleegte nie waar niks oor die afgelope 40 jaar verander het nie. Die hele wêreld van gholf het groot veranderings oor die jare ondergaan ten opsigte van hoe die spel gespeel word, die toerusting wat gebruik word, die beskikbare tegnologie, ens. Gholfbane en klubs moes aanpas volgens die veranderings in die land as geheel net om te oorleef. Klub en baan keuses deur spelers word nou dikwels bepaal volgens die waarde vir geld opsie eerder as “snob” waarde.

Verandering is egter ʼn proses wat nie oornag plaasvind nie. Organisasies bestaan uit individue en in teenstelling met ʼn besigheid is dit die mederheid lede in SAGES wat die omvang en tydsverloop van veranderings sal bepaal. Dit is belangrik om te besef dat die voortbestaan van SAGES onderworpe is aan die tydige erkenning van geleenthede en bedreingings in die senior gholf omgewing en die effektiewe ontwikkeling van aksies om die geleenthede te benut en die bedreigings te neutraliseer. Ek is entoesiasties om hierdie uitdagings saam met julle in 2018/2019 aan te pak.

Die uitdaging wat ons nou moet aanspreek is die landwye implementering van die nuwe voorgee stelsel op 3 September 2018. Ons moet die proses en stelsel verstaan ten einde die impak op ons eie prosesse ten opsigte van ons toernooie en kompetisies te evalueer. Daar sal meer volledige kommunikasie deur die HNA en ander plaasvind voor implimentering, maar kortliks behels die proses die volgende. Die proses word ondersteun deur die implimentering van die USGA Course Rating System wat uit twee komponente bestaan, naamlik die Course Rating (CR) en die Slope Rating (SR). Hierdie graderings is reeds deur ʼn spesifieke taakspan voltooi. Op 3 September 2018 sal die HNA ʼn nasionale eenvormige voorgee vir elke geregistreerde speler bepaal – hierdie word die Handicap Index (HI) genoem. Vanaf hierdie dag sal ʼn berekening gedoen word wat die HI, die SR van die bof van waar ʼn speler wil afslaan asook die CR gebruik, wat ʼn individuele voorgee vir daardie dag bepaal. Hierdie is dan die Course Handicap (CH).

Die doel van hierdie verandering is hoofsaaklik om die speelveld vir alle spelers gelyk te maak. Dit behels ook die skraping van die huige bof beskrywings, naamlik Mans, Dames, Kampioenskap, Seniors, Klub, ens.

In die toekoms sal daar volgens kleur na die bowwe verwys word, bv. Geel, Wit, Blou, Rooi en ʼn speler kan verkies om van enige van hierdie bowwe te speel – die proses hierbo genoem sal ʼn CH genereer volgens die speler se keuse van bof.

Tydens die onlangse Nationale toernooi en die AJV is die onderwerp van vroue se deelname in dieselfde afdelings as mans geopper en die voorstel is gemaak dat die Eurika Gowens afdeling en trofee afgeskaf word en dat  vroue in die oorblywende afdelings deelneem. Daar is by die AJV besluit dat die takke geleentheid gegun word om die menings van die vroue lede te peil en terugvoer te gee. Die hersiene voorgee stelsel mag dalk die oplossing inhou omdat alle gholfspelers op gelyke voet sal kompeteer relatief tot hul bof keuse. Dit is egter steeds belangrik dat vroue lede hul mening uitspreek en dit sal waardeer word as die takke hierdie proses kan fasiliteer en vir ons terugvoer gee sodat ons teen die einde Augustus 2018 uitsluitsel kan hê.

ʼn Tweede aangeleentheid wat bespreek moet word is die toekoms van die verskillende afdelings in die individuele kompetisie tydens die Nationale toernooi asook op die tak/intertak vlak, met inagneming van die nuwe stelsel. Daar is egter ander oorwegings, soos die omslagtige tellings proses en wenner bepaling, voorgee veranderings tydens kompetisies, titel van Nasionale Kampioen beperk tot ʼn klein groep spelers relatief tot totale lede, ens. Weereens mag die nuwe voorgee stelsel ʼn oplossing inhou, maar dit is belangrik dat ons lede geleentheid gebied word die implikasies te evalueer en om insette oor die onderwerp te gee. ʼn Vraelys sal later beskikbaar gestel word, maar dit sal realistiese antwoorde vergemaklik as die aangeleentheid in die tussentyd op tak vlak aanhangig gemaak word. Ons teiken vir die formulering van vaste aanbevelings is ook die einde van Augustus 2018 en julle samewerking in hierdie verband sal waardeer word Tydens die onlangse AJV is ʼn verslag gesirkuleer van die ad hoc-komitee in verband met die formaat van die Nasionale Toernooi en die algemene gevoel was dat die formaat onveranderd bly, maar dat die koste van bywoning in oënskou geneem word met die oog op ʼn noemenswaardige vermindering daarvan. Voorstelle is al ingedien, soos, die skraping van die vlaghysing op die Sondag of om dit na die Maandag te veskuif, kombinering van die Dinsdag prysuitdeling met die Vrydagaand geleentheid of prysuitdeling onmiddelik na die spel sonder enige spyseniering, ens. Daar is ongetwyfeld meer gedagtes wat meriete het en oorweeg kan word. Die proses tot dusver is egter ietwat lukraak aangepak en ten einde ʼn samehangende raamwerk daar te stel, sal dit op prys gestel word as die takke insette van die lede kan aanvra en konsolideer. Die einde Augustus 2018 is ook die teikendatum – dien asseblief die tak se voorstelle voor hierdie datum in.

Lede moet aangemoedig word om kreatief te dink. Die organisasie is ryk in sy tradisies, maar dalk het die tyd aangebreek om van die prakteike te hersien en lede moet die vrymoedigheid neem om enige voorstelle te maak hoe radikaal dit ook al mag voorkom.

Sages groete,

Alec Dixon
Nasionale President
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